Scottish Gossip: SPFL sponsor deal, Naismith, Hearts, Rangers, Celtic

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

The Scottish Professional Football League are expected to finalise a new deal with current sponsors Ladbrokes worth up to £5m, which will run over two years up to 2020. (Daily Record)

Hearts could beat Rangers to the loan signing of former Ibrox forward Steven Naismith. (Daily Mail)

Another of Scotland international Naismith's former clubs, Kilmarnock, are keen to lure the 31-year-old back north but Naismith is believed to favour a return to Rangers. (Scotsman)

Hearts can use some of the £300,000 banked from selling Jamie Walker to Wigan Athletic to pay the portion of Naismith's wages Norwich are demanding for a loan deal to be sanctioned. (Sun)

Naismith has made more than 400 club appearances and has 45 Scotland caps

Celtic captain Scott Brown will assess his international future on a monthly basis. (Daily Record)

And regular Scotland skipper Brown could not care less if critics say he is picking and choosing games to suit himself. (Daily Mail)

Brown is dreading the day he retires from playing. (Sun)

Patrick Roberts, on loan at Celtic from Manchester City, has now joined up with Brendan Rodgers' squad in Dubai as he nears a return from a hamstring injury. (Herald - subscription required)

Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday - back at the club after his loan spell with Gabala was cut short - admits he knew his move to Azerbaijan was a mistake almost as soon as he got there. (Daily Record)

Roberts and Halliday may be facing each other again in Old Firm matches this season

But Halliday insists he had no choice but to leave after not being in former Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha's plans. (Sun)

Manager Graeme Murty has urged Halliday and Michael O'Halloran, who has returned from a loan spell at St Johnstone, to grasp their second chance at Rangers. (The Times - subscription required)

Rangers won the first of their Florida Cup matches 1-0 against Atletico Mineiro, Josh Windass getting the winner. (Herald - subscription required)

Ofir Marciano has welcomed the challenge for the Hibernian goalkeeper's jersey following the loan signing of Dundee's Scott Bain. (Scotsman)

Harry Cochrane, 16, says his new-found fame at being in the Hearts first team this season will not go to his head as his father still sends him to bed at 21:30 GMT. (Sun)

RUGBY UNION GOSSIP

Scrum-half Greig Laidlaw will be fit in time for Scotland's Six Nations campaign. (Scotsman)